Explosive offense hogs scoreboard during streak

An 83-16 advantage in first-quarter points during an 11-game winning streak has enabled the Chargers to be ahead or even on the scoreboard close to 90 percent of the time over that span.
— John R. McCutchen / Union-Tribune

An 83-16 advantage in first-quarter points during an 11-game winning streak has enabled the Chargers to be ahead or even on the scoreboard close to 90 percent of the time over that span.
— John R. McCutchen / Union-Tribune

They trailed for a total of about a half-hour from the time they had to come back in the final minutes against the New York Giants on Nov. 8 until their backups populated the season finale against Washington. That was a span of almost 450 minutes in which they were behind a mere 36:19.

In all, the Chargers have trailed for fewer than 66½ minutes of their 660 minutes on the field during the 11 games. More impressive, perhaps, is that the Chargers have had the lead for 482:21.

The 66:23 they have been behind includes 30:04 in the regular-season finale against Washington, in which most starters departed after the first quarter. The Chargers went down with 39 seconds remaining before halftime and trailed until Mike Tolbert scored the game-winning touchdown with 35 seconds left in the game.

Besides that, the Chargers had not trailed in the second half since the Giants game.

Starting fast helps. The Chargers have outscored their opponents 83-16 in the first quarter of the 11 games and have trailed at halftime just once (Washington) and were tied once (Giants).

They never trailed in six of the 11 games.

While several Chargers said it feels like last season that they suffered a loss, they insist they can handle coming from behind if that’s what is required Sunday against the Jets.

“We’ve done it before,” cornerback Quentin Jammer said.

Kidding around

There has been talk that LaDainian Tomlinson could be playing his final home game in Qualcomm Stadium on Sunday. He knows that may well be the case.

He is due $5 million in 2010, will be 31 years old and is coming off a season in which he had career lows in carries (223) and yards (730).

Tomlinson is focused on now, but he believes his career is far from over.

He said a few weeks ago he thought he still had some Pro Bowls in his legs, and this week he said he plans to be in a locker room long enough for his first child, as yet unborn, to visit him there.

“I kind of wish I had a little one to run around now,” said Tomlinson, whose wife, LaTorsha, is in her fourth month. “… I’ve always missed that part of it. I’ve always wanted that so bad. I hope I play long enough I can at least have a kid come in the locker room.”

Not all good

Jets coach Rex Ryan quipped earlier this week that Philip Rivers was “due” for a bad game, which of course turned into reporters asking several Chargers whether the team was “due” to not play well.

The Chargers know better.

“We have had bad games,” linebacker Shaun Phillips said. “We have overcome adversity. There are games, like the New York Giants game where we had to claw and fight.”

The Chargers also didn’t exactly finish strong at Cleveland, they were outgained immensely by Philadelphia, and Cincinnati completed a lot of passes for a lot of yards and forced a last-minute drive to win.